So far have: Wednesday: Opus One at 3pm Thursday: Conn Creek barrel blend at 10:30am Trinchero Family Estates at 3:30pm Friday: Ferrari-Carano at 10am Coppola Winery at 2pm Might add Pride Mountain Vineyards as that was highly recommended by some friends. Otherwise will sneak in an extra visit or two once I’m there and get local recommendations.
Pride is one of the best tours in Napa. You'd be crazy not to go. Would also recommend Boich Family Cellars if you can get in.
I emailed them earlier to see if they have anything available so waiting to hear back. Will look into Boich now.
Had an opening weekend watch party yesterday for our Draft Kings league. Good times And I feel like shit today
Here I was thinking I was a balla having a bunch of growlers for my fantasy draft. That's quite a run down of bottles. How was the Leonotti Cellars reviewed? Would take their cabs/wine over anything in California or Napa imvho jmho
Wow. Very nice. I remember thinking about buying that same bottle years ago for a wife x-mas gift (at a pretty hefty price) but my wine guy said she would just be drinking it with her second husband... How was it? Did you decant at all? I have a bottle of the 2007 vieux telegraphe chateauneuf du pape waiting to drink at some point.
Good luck. I'm a member of their club - amazing wines. Boich - try e-mailing them to see if they can set up a tasting for your group. It's a bit of a drive to get up to their location, but the views are worth it and the wines are amazing. The Beckstoffer George III is fantastic.
It was good. Very smooth. I gave it a one hour decant and then drank over dinner and after. It was my only 2007 but I bought a few 2010s so I’m looking forward to enjoying how those develop over time.
The blending and bottle experience at Conn Creek is awesome. Really fun to make and name your own wine.
My co-worker has been storing wine at a friend’s house that is about to move out of state. He has to move it and is looking to sell some. I told him I would take down a 2006-08 vertical of Pride Reserve Cab. He is going through inventory but I’m pretty sure this will happen. I can’t contain my excitement.
Nice. I have got 3 bottles of the last 2 vintages (15 and 16) and still have my single bottles of 2013 and 2014
Starting with the 2009 vintage he started sharing his allocation with me so I have a little more than a mixed case of Cab, Select, Reserve, Merlot and the Claret from 2009-14. I like the idea of going back further and especially adding the 2007 vintage.
It's the Cab Franc that I love and can never get enough of. I got 3 of the 2016 though in my allocation (which i split with a friend, so we actually got 6).
Anyone subscribe to a wine delivery box? We have been doing the NPR box that is fairly reasonably priced for like 8 bottles but wondering if anyone had any rec's.
Yeah, I’m looking into this as well. Between the BFF and I, we go through 5-10 bottles a week but still buy individually. There has to be a cheaper way...
Visting Santa Barbara over the Thanksgiving holiday with future in-laws and other family friends. We plan to tour 1-2 wineries over the course of our stay. What are some of the top recommendations in this region and are there any to avoid? Havent done much research, but here are some that have come up: Lafond Shoestring Royal Oaks Kalyra Buttonwood Rusack Roblar Beckmen Rideau Andrew Murray Koehler Dascomb Cellar Tercero
Don't do Rusack unless it is for lunch in Ballard Canyon. The winery is beautiful but the wine itself is just ok. Don't buy the Catalina wine...not good. My personal favorites (go up to Santa Ynez Valley about twice a year) are Evan's Ranch and Saarloos and Son's in Los Olivos. We are members of Saarloos and Waylen (right next door) and my parents and brother are members of Evan's Ranch. In terms of wineries, I would suggest Demetria (beautiful property) and Foley if you like Pinot Noir. Roblar is nice and the wine is pretty good but if you are only doing two, I'd opt for others. Andrew Murray has great Syrah's and rhone varietals. They used to have a tasting room in Los Olivos in addition to their Zaca Station location. Beckman has a good blend "Cuvee Le Bec" which is a rhone style blend. I've never visited their tasting room. In Santa Barbara is the funk zone. I've only been to Municipal and Margerum. Good stuff: https://urbanwinetrailsb.com/wineries/
Headed to Paso Robles tomorrow. Been to Napa a handful of time but never Paso. Any of you guys have recommendations? Our lineup is looking like this right now: Friday Oct. 12 11:00 am - Villa Creek 1:00 pm - Linne Calodo 3:30 pm - Denner Saturday Oct. 13 11:00 am - Daou 1:30 pm - Tablas Creek 3:45 pm - Jada
Saarloos and Sons is a good one in Los Olivos. Been a member there for a few years and doesn't disappoint. Good family too. Carhart across the street from Saarloos is worth a taste as well since your in the area.
Was actually out there last week. Definitely add Justin to the list. Denner and David are great as well, but Justin is the star of the region. Had a decent enough meal at Hatch downtown.....excellent bourbon list. Where are yall staying?
Headed to the North Fork of Long Island this weekend. Going to check out a few vineyards, likely the below and maybe a few others. Expectations aren’t high but hopefully will be pleasantly surprised. Will report back https://www.bedellcellars.com/ https://www.theharborfrontinn.com/kontokosta-winery
Red blends can be better than any dominant variety bottle imo. A good winemaker will know that going against convention can bring out some really funky flavors that let them stand out. I like to know what grapes are in them though. I stay away from the high alcohol/masculine driven marketed ones that will come in red/black bottles as they taste the same. I love a blend that encompasses some different varietals like a Syrah, Mourvedre, and Petit Verdot for example.
Yesterday was great. Villa Creek, Linne Caloda, Denner and Epoch all have great wines. Paso is also a cool little town. Hitting Daou, Tablas Creek, Jada and maybe one or two others today.
Paso probably my new favorite wine spot. Just an incredible atmosphere, great vino and great prices compared to Napa/Sonoma. Daou up there as a new favorite. Great spot. They probably poured us 11-12 tastings. Hotel Cheval is badass. Didn’t make it to Jordan.... Guess I’ll have to go back.
Both great wineries in terms of scenery. Wine much better at Bedell. Long Island wine is just ok, with much of it terrible, but there are a few producers that are on the up and up. Couldn’t recommend the North Fork more though. Absolutely gorgeous and Greenport, NY is an awesome town. Did some hiking on Shelter Island and made it over to Sag Harbor as well. Great food too.
What's everyone's go-to cheap wine? I'm looking for a more healthy option and Doc is saying to stick to wine when I have the option. I like most of the Apothic Reds for my regular after work consumption.
Not a go-to wine guy. There’s so many interesting wines in the $15-25 range from all over the world that I feel it’s my mission in life to try as many as possible. I have pretty amazing access to wine though living in NYC so I’m a little jaded. Would recommend keeping a few different-bodied wines (both red and white) at all times though. Maybe keep a gamay, Pinot noir, cab franc, and a cab or a red blend on deck for reds, then a sauv blanc and a chard for whites (just as a basic example).
Buy Washington wines here. Charles Smith's collection is impossible to beat at this. A lot of Chateau Ste. Michelle's labels like H3, Columbia Crest, and 14 Hands are much better than all of the cheaper options you see from California. They also actually taste quite a bit different from year to year The Menage a Trois or 19 Crimes like high sugar red blends are the same price but not nearly as diverse a portfolio or flavor
Thanksgiving is just around the corner. Without defaulting to Pinots or Chards, what is everyone planning on drinking this year? I’m going to a 15-20 person event and plan on bringing two cheaper bottles. Thinking a Zin and maybe something sparkling and natural, hopefully both under $20.
I bought a 5L of '16 Patty Green Reserve that I'm bringing up to some friends in Westchester, but aside from that, staples from Beaujolais: Foillard, Lapierre, Tete.
I missed a killer Coravin offer from Bed Bath and Beyond yesterday and I'm pissed. https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/st...e-preservation-system-bundle-in-black/5244390
I’ve been cellaring some bottles and decided I needed to start drinking them. Last Saturday I had a 2005 Cote Rotie and tonight I decided to do steak with a solid 2007 Napa cab, because Sunday.
Wine night for me too. My brother is friends with the winemaker from this place. This was very good, along with the sauv blanc. My brother says the cab is his favorite ever but he’s biased and it’s really not that great
Have become more involved in the auction market this year, mainly because I decided that this would be the year I nailed down classic reference point wines from the most prestigious regions in the world. Last week was my 30th birthday and we decided to cut some of those bottles loose for the celebration.